


To give himself courage

by AndersAndrew



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Cute, Declarations Of Love, Drunk Oswald, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s03e06 Follow the White Rabbit, First Kiss, Fix-It, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Hugs, Love Confessions, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Sweet Oswald, Sweet Talk, Translation, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 06:28:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10611162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndersAndrew/pseuds/AndersAndrew
Summary: What if Oswald had found the courage to admit to Ed his feelings the first time he tried...with the help of the alcohol?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Pour se donner du courage](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10513266) by [AndersAndrew](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AndersAndrew/pseuds/AndersAndrew). 



> This is a translation of my own fanfiction (written in french). I'm not a native english speaker, so there are lot of mistakes and clumsiness in this translation. If you have suggestions to improve it, I will be very grateful.
> 
> Also, I tried to translate (even if it's very awful, I guess) because Pollllllly's comment on my fic in french. It was really cute and I wanna make an effort for them. So I wish you to enjoy this. Good reading everyone!!

The door of the office opened with crash, making the secretary jump during she held delicately the explosive device that Edward had made for Nicky the nail. Fortunately, the fuse was not lit, nevertheless she panicked when it almost slipped out of her hands and Ed grimaced. Nevertheless, his attention returned to Oswald who, the purple face and the dishevelled dress, rushed to him by limping without his cane, what was at least unusual. Ed got up, intensely worried to see him in this state.

« Oswald, everything is fine? »  
Oswald crashed headlong into him; Ed vacillated slightly, but were clearly more tall than the Penguin, the impact didn't push back him. Oswald's arms squeezed up around him and his head settled on his torso; then Ed understood, in the strong smell of alcohol, that Oswald was drunk.  
It wasn't definitively in his habits.

« Anything wrong? » he questioned slowly caressing him slowly the back.  
Oswald growled out in a unclear way against the shoulder of his jacket and tightened his embrace. The beatings of his Chief of Staff's heart accelerated.  
« Oswald, you drank. »

« Well then? » the Penguin growled out grudgingly.

Edward's hand hesitated on its collar; the desire to run the fingers through his hair, behind the skull, was rather strong so that he has to fight one moment to make his arm fall again.  
Oswald raised his face towards him: he was red, what highlighted the freckles which strewed the cheeks and his aquiline nose. The eyes had a wet brightness that Ed lent to the alcohol, but sudden the Penguin frowned and caught him by the front of the jacket.

« I wanted to tell you...I love you. I love you! » He declared self-assuredly and full of determination.

Ed was open-mouthed, then Oswald shook him.

« I loooooove you! »

« You are definitively drunk » Edward answered by raising his glasses to regain self-control.  
« The one doesn't prevent the other one! » Oswald retorted on a pasty tone. « I like you since longer that that. »

The Penguin's volubility about this subject was contradictory with his character. It amused Edward, and in spite of the knot which formed in his stomach, he wasn't able to refrain from asking:

« When that? »

« What? » Oswald muttered, with a suspicious look.

« Since when you realized it. What you love me? »

« Yesterday » the mayor confessed by pouting.

Ed roared. Oswald shook him again.

« It's not funny! Stop laughing at me or I make you throw in the river with a block of cement to the foot. »  
Ed's laughter became almost hysteric and he promptly stuck a hand on his mouth by being afraid that someone heard him. The secretary had fortunately closed the door by running away when the mayor had made his noisy entrance.

Oswald's lips settled on the back of the hand and kissed it. Ed broke off.  
« I don't make fun » The Penguin scolded. « I love you. I was too much afraid of telling it to you then... »  
The Chief of Staff began reddening.  
« You cannot be serious. »  
« Nevertheless I am. I though that you were smart, Ed. »

« Wait wait! » Edward says by getting loose a little bit reluctantly, raising a hand between them. « You are telling me that you that you fell in love because of what I have say to you yesterday? »  
Oswald caught him again by the lapel of his jacket - "Had he always been so authoritarian?" "Yes", Ed answered to his own question without saying a word. Oswald's fits of rage had always been violent. Except that Oswald was not angry, not really.

« Who cares?! » The mayor exclaimed by sputtering. « I had to tell it to you. You should know that! »  
Edward remained taken aback. This time, he found nothing to answer and the grip of the Penguin loosened until release him; he lowered his head, sheepish.  
« You should know that. », he added lower.  
Hesitating, Ed tightened his jaw. After a few seconds, he mumbled:  
« Why? »

The expression of Oswald contracted:  
« Why do you kept silent have to know? »  
« No! » Ed interrupted obligingly. « Why you...why...these feelings...towards me? »  
The tensions on the face of the Auk are mirrored to melt and his look becomes milder. He raised a trembling hand and touched his friend's cheek with his fingertips.

« You believe that I cannot love you? That's what you think? »  
« No...I...well... maybe », Ed stammered whereas the Penguin let fall again his hand.  
He blushed and it was terribly awkward; that made him lose of his visible detachment. Oswald's alcoholic innocence made a break him completely.  
« I find you adorable », Oswald whispered by fighting with the words, the quivering eyelids. « It's for you that I get up every morning. »

As which couldn't any more listen, Ed hid his scarlet face in his hands. It was Oswald who, this time, moved away slowly the hands.  
« I would be totally lost without you », The Penguin continued by getting closer. « I would never have been able to hope... »  
« Oswald it's... »

"Wrong" Ed thinks. It's Oswald who took out him of Arkham. He still who came to see him almost every day in the visiting room, sent him pullovers, boxes of biscuits. It was him still who had campaigned to become a mayor, campaign which he had taken away brilliantly, and who had agreed to take Ed as Chief of Staff. It was Ed who was lucky to have Oswald by his side to guide him and teach him to exist in this world.  
He would be nothing without him.

« It's so shiny », Oswald murmured. « This feeling...I have never felt that for anybody... »  
« Oswald », Ed moaned, a fraction of a second before the Penguin's lips settle slowly on his.

He felt melting at the contact: it was hot and silky, contrary to the fact that he would be expected of Oswald, who always had cold and rough hands - the hands of a man who had had to work hard to live. His kiss was as well delicate as his arrival had been deafening. It was completely innocent, pure and almost chaste, and Ed wanted to push asidehim a little, to deepen by pressing on the nape of his neck, pressing against him. He just nibbled his lower lip, without caring about the taste of wine which lingered over his tongue.

« I love you », Oswald groaned.  
« I had heard the first time », Ed pointed out.  
The Penguin gave him a dirty look.  
« On the other hand, I like hardly when you are derisive. It's rude », he scolded, threatening.  
« Thousand excuses, Mr Mayor, I was only underlining the obvious fact, namely that I drank the slightest of your words. »  
« Is it a sarcasm? »

Ed smiled.  
«  It's also the truth, as far as it interests you. I can also lie if you prefer. »  
« Stop being so formal! » Oswald mumbled deeply by squeezing up against his torso. « It's as though I didn't exist anymore when you do that... »  
« Ah, Oswald » his Chief of Staff sighed by hugging him. « It's an unfounded concern. »  
« Don't ask me to be rational. I'm drunk, do you remember? »

Edward stuck his nose in the raven hair and took a deep breath, his lips twisting in an affectionate grin.  
« That's good. Like that, later, you will not remember all the stupid things which I said or did. »  
« What stup... »

Ed's mouth crashed possessively on his and Oswald didn't try to continue his sentence, too pleasantly surprised by this assault. Ed's kisses didn't look like his: they were eager, hasty, but mastered. Oswald had not much experience and took the kiss carefully, enjoying this sensation for the first time, while Ed hurried to take all that there was to take, with dexterity and the confidence of the one who knows what he wants.

When they moved aside finally, two big hands impeccably manicured by Edward framed Oswald's red face.   
« I can't be bought, but I can be stolen with a glance. I'm worthless to one, but priceless to two.  » he said with a hoarse voice.  
Oswald's eyes opened wide by staring at him:  
« L...love? »

The smile of Ed became dazzling.

« I don't know if...I deserve...but I want...I want to believe in it too, Oswald. Do I may...I may try to believe in it with you? »

« Yes! Of course!! » The Penguin immediately exclaimed by putting his hands on his. « Love... »

He smiled too, widely, as if his heart was about to explode.

« Love conquers all, doesn't it? » He broke in a sob, his face deformed in fear and ecstatic joy.

Edward's lips picked back his, sealing the beginning of a new promise between them.

 


End file.
